Barn-cleaner.



C- 0. CARLSON.

BARN CLEANER. APPUCATION Hun FEB. 1B. 1916 3 5HEETS-SHEEI 1.

INVENTOR Patented Oct. 16, I917.

C 0. CARLSON.

BARN CLEANER.

APPUCATION FILED FEB. 28 was.

7 R H m m M N m w u 7 m a E V T w n m 4 m n S v aw. Q h\ m\ W [I5 I r t 3 e x t w P M f .g

V1 B I WITNESSES w CV0 CARLSON.

BARN CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 18. l9l6 Patented Oct. 16, 1917.

3 5HEETS-SHEET 3.

ATTORNEY CARL O. CARLSON, 0F CAZENOVIA, WISCONSIN.

BARN-CLEANER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 16, 1917.

Application filed February 13, 1916. Serial No. 79,144.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL O. CARLSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Caz'enovia, in the county of Richland and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bern Cleaners, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements in barn cleaners; and as its primary object contemplates the provision of a novel device of this nature that is to be operable in the drain or gutter of the barn, in order to collect the manure and other foreign matter having been deposited therein, and which may be expeditiously handled by the operator in order to eiiect the dumping of the collected matter.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel device of the nature aforesaid wherein means are provided to draw the manure or other foreign substance into the body of the cleaner and move the latter forwardly in the trough or gutter simultaneously, upon one stroke of the operating lever.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the above character which may be suspended from a cable and elevated from the ground so that it may be quickly and easily conveyed to the desired dumping oint.

Aistill further object is to provide means to normally retain the dispensing gate of the cleaner .in a closed position, both durin op" eration of the device in the gutter an the conveying of the same to the desired dump-- ing point, and improved mechanism to become operable at a predetermined time to automatically open the dispensing gate and r at the same time, effect the operation of con vcyer means to cause the dispenscment of the contents of the cleaner.

A yet further object of my invention is to provide a device of the nature aforesaid which consists of but afew simple parts,.and which may be manufactured at a comparatively low cost.

Various other objects and advantages will become apparent during the continuance of the following description.

These objects are accomplished by such means as are shown in their preferred form in the accompanying drawings, described in the 'following specification and then more specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings wherein like characters designate like parts throughout the several views Figure l is a view in top plan, showing my invention as in its preferred embodiment;

Fig. 2 is a view in longitudinal section showing the parts as in their normal position;

Fig. 3 is a view showing the device suspended on a cable and the dispensing gate in an open position;

i 4 is a View in rearelevation showing the (evice also suspended from the conveying cable;

Fig. 5 is a View showing the device as in a position prior to the dumping operation;

Fig. 6 is a View in detail. of the mechanism for edectually supporting the rake structure which serves to draw the manure onto the shovel and hence to the conveyor means.

In reducing my invention to practice, I first provide a suitable body or container structure 10, which, by reason of the nature of the function. ascribed thereto, is preferably constructed of sheet metal or other durable material. The body consists gem orally of a bottom portion 11, having spaced side members 12 associated therewith. The bottom 11 may be in turn provided with suitable supporting means which, in the present embodiment, consists of spaced. carrying wheels 13 and 14 respectively; the latter being of course supported by the usual brackets 15. Any desired form of reinforcing means may be associated with the bottom 11 and as well as the side members 12, in

order to render the same more durable;

however, in View of the fact that this is but an arbitrary feature, it is pointed out that I am not limited to the specific means shown. In the present embodiment, reinforcing means consist of lateral strips .16 that are associated with the bottom 11 and similar strips 17 that are arranged on the side walls 12. This renders the device obviously more durable.

At their rear end, the side pieces 12 are connected through the instrumentality of a cross bar 18 to which is hingedly connected, as at 19, a dispensing gate 20; the latter being designed to normally lie in a closed position, such as clearly shown in Fig."2. The gate 20 carries a slidably mounted retaining pawl ll, as at 22, the latter being des gned to engage with a keeper 223 on the bottom ll. when the gate is in a closed position. in unll'l' to securely retain the la'tlvr against urrideul'nl dislodgment. However. means are provided to {urton'iatirally actuate the pawl 21 to release the said gale. Hlll'll as will s-iul'iseipiently a ppcar.

Within the body b l mount transverse carrying shafts 2*! and 117 respectively, upon which are carried spaced rollers 26, and about the mllerz-i are: trained conxeyin' belts 27. 'lhe bolts 37 are in turn connected by transverse conieye-r dats 2b, thereby preslanting an oodle convex'el in receiving the material delivered into the body it). In other vie-rd tln malty-lid cub-ring; the body 10 is dept ,iled upon ibc conveyor so that by inoirnienl oi the conw ver during the in tho material may dumping vprralion, at.

ill w l body 'l'. is jml'liml "'lltliiii, however, will b d -wribrd nan-w hcrcinafter.

i no .irovide a .sLiLniilo shovel 29 that may be formed oF sheet metal or the like, the same carrying suitably attached side pieces 30, which in turn have pivotal. connection, as at 31, to the side pieces 12 of the body 10. The shovel is pnzicrably attached to the body 10 at a point whereby the inner edge thereof will be slightly above the eonveyer mechanism, in order that the material iv and delivered to the body will be deposited on' the cmivcyer. Consequently, by pivoting the shovel in the manner shown. the front edge will normally Contact with the surface or bottrnn of the gutter or other structure, with which the dei Er i-a engaged, while the rear edge will be posiiiomd at the desired point. This will once-H air the shovel lying in a slightly llltiillttil posiuon. However, by action of the rake mechanism snbscquentlv described, it will be seen that the manure and other foreign material will. be quickly and easily drawn into the shovel. and hence fed to the conveyor mechanism. The shovel shown in the present cmbodi Inent may be formed from a single section of material, the side pieces 30, being bent u tiwardly at right angles to the body. This particular arrangement, however, is arbi trary and it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the specific form shown.

I now provide the body 10 with a trans verse carrying bar 32 upon which is mounted a suitable operating arm or lever 33, the same being preferably fixed to the bar by any desired means. The operating arm or lever is oscillatahlclongitudinally with respect to the body 10 and is designed to control operation of both the means to draw the manure or other foreign material into the body of the drvico and the ini-aus to move the cleaning device ltiru'ardly' into the 29 carries an arcuately curved 34 wlnch, m the present emportions 35 Journaled -tln'ough the side pieces 30 of the shovel,

with its extreme end portions 36 forming abutment lugs to enact with the edges of the side pieces, such as will subsequently appear. Intermediate its ends, the trip memher is formed into a stirrup 37, which is designed to receive a shank of the rake mechanism, presently described. Suitable retractilc springs 38 are each connected at one end with one of the end portions 36 of the trip member, while the other ends of said opening have connection with the pivot members 31. above referred to. Therefore. by action of the springs 38, the trip member 31 will have a normal tendency to move forward and upward with respect to the shovel. However, lzy reason of the weight of the rake, such movement is prevented xce t at times during operation of the rake as ie-reinafter described.

The rake structure that operates in conjunction with the shovel 29. consists enerally of a body 39 which carries suitably spaced lateral bars 40 having depending rake teeth 41. At its rear end, the body 39 carries a shank 42 that operates the stirrup 37 of the trip member, the rear end of the shank being formed into a bearing 43 to embrace the operating arm or lever 33, as clearly shown in Fi s. 2 and 3. The shank if! is in turn providi d with a receiving reuse or hearing 4-4 which arrommodz'itcs the rung 37 of the stirrup 37 at certain times, causing the trip member to move with the rake structure, a certain distance, such as will be subsequently described. In other words, upon movement of the operating arm or lever 33 to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the shank 42 of the rake structure will be drawn rearwardly so that the recess 44 thereof receives the rung of the stirrup 37, which latter is pressed into said recess by action of the spring 38 on the element engagement of the stirrup 37 and the recess 41. Upon the disengaging operation as aforesaid, the trip member will again full into the position shown in Figs. and 3, by the weight of the rake structure thereon and will be engaged with the manure or other foreign matter adjacent the shovel .lonso quently, upon drawing the operating lever rearwardlv again, the rake will serve to draw the manure or other foreign material onto the shovel 29. Upon releasing of the rake structure after its movement to :1 ion ward position, the same will fall by action of its own weight and. thereby drive the teeth 41 onto the manure or other foreign material. The springs 38 having a normal tendency to move the trip member forwardly, Wlll of course insure cilicient coiiperation onnoaction between the stirrup 37 and the recess all as is obvious.

The operating arm or lever 33 further provided with a fixed bcarin or eyelet 45 to which connects one end of t is rcarwardly directed rod 46. Adjacent its rearel'id, the rod 16 is bent at the point 4.? in order to form 2. depending leg 48 to extend at sub stantially right angles to the forward end of the rod 46. The cross bar 1.8 is provided with a recess 49 to form a way or hearing for the rod 46, while a pivoted lkeeper 50 is associated with the bar 48 to normally over lie the rod 46, as shown in Fig. 2, and retain the same against upward movement. When in the position shown in Fi 2, the rod or keeper 50 will be held against vertical movement by a catch 51. This con struction is more clearly shown in Fig. 1, wherein the keeper 50 is shown in a locked position, it being held in place by the catch 51. Although the rod 46 is normally held against vertical movement. movement of the same longitudinally with respect to the body 10 by means of the o 'ierating arm or lever 33 is of course permitted.

Adjacent its rear end the rod 46 carries a fixed collar 52 from which depends a flexi- 45. ble element 53 havin connection at its lower and with the retaining pawl 21 of the dispensing gate as at 54. Consequently. upon upward movement oiithe rod 46, the retaining pawl 21 will be withdrawn from engage ment with the keeper 23. i The bent portion 48 of the rod 46also carries adjacent its lowerend, a pair of pivoted arms 55 and 56, and as at 57, while coil springs 58. are

v employed to normally retain. said arms in the positioirshown m Fig. 1

When in this position, the arms project slightly beyond the sides 12"bf the body and are suitably curved as at 59 to engage with the side of the gutter-or way in which the device is being operated, In other words. when in .engngement with the side walls of the gutter or way, the arms will permit of forward movement of the device, since they may move rearwardly upon their pivot points, but will eflectually prevent rearward movement. Therefore, upon oscillation of the operating arm or lever, the arms 55 and 56 will be made to inove the device l'l'n'wardly in the way or gutter. as is obvious.

ln ord r lo couple the operating arm or lever 33 and the rod 46 alter the body ll) has become full and it is desired to be dumped, I provide the said operating arm with a depending book 60. The hook is normally suspended above the rod 46, but when desired, the operating arm or lever may he moved downwardly into the position shown in Fig. 3, whereby the book may be engaged with the rod as shown. Therefore, when the operating lever is coupled with the rod, the said rod. will be oscillated with the operating lever, after being re leased by the keeper 50. The oscillating rod or lover also carries an eyelet 6?. for engage ment with a. suitable hook ('32, prior to the dumping operation.

The operation of my invention prior to the dumping operation, is substantially as follows:

Normally, the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2, the gate 20 being in a closed position and held in place through the instrumentality of the pawl 21, and the rod 46 being held against upward movement by the keeper 50. The device being disposed in the gutter or way, the arms 55 andfl will be engaged with the sides of the gutter or way in the manner aforesaid. Upon movement of the operating lever forwardly, the rake structure will be elevated and re leased by the trip member 34 as aforesaid, while the rod 46 will draw the arms 55 and 56 forwardly in the way and finally hold the same in juxta-posed relation to the gate 20. 'llhercfore. upon rearward movement of the operating lever. the arms 55 and 56 will lock with respect to the gutter or way so that the body 10 will be thrust forwardly in the gutter, while the rake structure will be drawn rearwardly so as to feed the manure or other foreign material onto the shovel 29. Consequently, as the oscillation-of the operating lever is continued, the device will be moved forwardly in the gutter, while the manure and other foreign material will be continually drawn onto the shovel and subsequently forced to the conveyor mechanism.

After the body 10 has become filled and p 67, through which bifurcated portion is journaled a Windlass 68. 1S operable by means of the handle portion 69 and. is designed to receive one end of a cable 70, whose other end is connected'with The Windlass 68 the. hook 62 as shown in Fig, 3. (onsequently, upon winding of the cable TU on the Windlass the entire cleaning device will be withdrawn from the gutter or other way within which it is being operated. The arm 66 further carries a diagonally ilepcuding finger 71 as at 72, the latter also ha ring its free end bifurcated as at 7?, wherein it may efl'ectually limit movement of the operating arm or lever 33, at certain times,

.Fig. 5

I further provide the gate 30 with inwardly directed conveyer operating arms 74, which, in the present embodiment are formed of a single strand of heavy durable wire. The intermediate portion of the said strand of wire is subsequently bent to provide a portion 75 to lie between the conveyer slats 28 so that upon opening movement of the gate, the conveyormechanism will be operated so as to empty the contents of the body it). When in its normal position, the portion 75 ot the arm it lies adjacent the forward end oi the conveyer. as shown in Fig. 2.

Therefore, when desiring to empty the contents of the cleaner the hook 62 is engaged with the eyelet 61 of the operating arm or lever, as shown in Fig. 3. the hook 60 of the operating lever being in turn engaged with the rod 46 in the manner shown. The handle (ill of the. windlass is then operated so as to wind the cable 70 thereon and thus raise the entire cleaning structure from the gutter or other way in which it is being operated, while the operator may move the arm (36 so as to cause the ent re structure to move on the cable (35 to the desired point. Adjacent the point of dumping, the cable 65 carries :1. depending rod 76 whose lower and free end portion is designed to engage with of the body 10.

the end (it the keeper ()0, while the upper end ot' the said arm designated by the numeral 77, serves as a stop for the carrying wheels 64. -Conscqucntly, when the structurereachcs the point of dmnping, the rod 76 will he engaged with the keeper 50 so as to disengage the latter from the catch 51, whereupon the weight of the cleaning structure will cause the rocking of the operating arm or lever as well as the rod 46, to cause the opening of the gate 20 and the simultaneousactuation of theconveyer mechanism by the arms 7t and the portion thereof. In other words, the releasing of the rod 46 can aes the. rocking of the lever 33 by action of the weight of the device, so as to cause the releasing ot the pawl 2L and the (101 1- in ol" the gate 20 to the position shown in Fig. 3; while the arms 74 are drawn rearwai-dly so as to effect the operation of the conveyor-1nechanism to empty the contents From the foregoing it will be recognized that I have provide an improved barn cleaner which is readily operable in the drainage trough so as to clean the some and convey the manure or other foreign material to the point of dumpin recognized that the entire cleaning structure may be easily and quickly conveyed to the point of dumping and automatically emptied when desired. In view of the fact, therefore, that the advantages and novel features of the invention appear to be appar cut. it is believed that further detail description is deemed unnecessary.

In reducing my invention to practice, I had that the form re terred to herein as the most practical and preferred. embodiment is the most cflieient, but realizing that certain conditions will m-cessarily vary in concur rcneewith the adoption of my device, I desire to emphasize the fact that various minor changes in the details of construction and in the proportion of parts may be resorted to when required without sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: i

l. in a cleaning device, the combination of a body portion. means to feed the 1natcrial into said body portion, means to move sa id body portion step-b r step in one diree tiou. and a universal member to operate the feeding means and the step-bystep propellin means and to cooperate with a sup port for effecting the raising of the device.

'3. in a cleaning device, the combination of a body structure. a conveyer in said body structure. a shovel secured to the front por- [ion of aid body structure. means cooperative with said shovel to feed extraneous malcrial onto said couveyer, means For moving said body structure slcp-b v-step in one direction. an outlet gate. means automatically operable to move said couveyer to empty the contents of said body structure through said outlet gate. and universal operating means for operating the second and third said means.

3. In a cleaning device of the character described, the combination of a body structure, means to movably support said body :dl'llltill'k'. a convcycr in said body structure, a shovel arranged at one end of said body structure, means cooperating with said shovel to feed the material to said conveyor, a dispensing gate. means operable by said dispensing gate to move said conveyer to cmpt i the contents of said body structure, and universal means for operating the second and third said means as and for the purpose specified.

t. In a cleaning device of the character described. the combination of a. body structure, means to movabl support said body structure, conveyer mechanism in said body It will also ba iii! Structure, a Show} arrangaci at said body structure for taking 11? matai'ial, means to liiZHi the m said shovel into said mi gnu n uopembic 3,0 mom will 51ml) 5min step. in one direction, upcrsai man to the first and biecnnd sad m u operable in eflfect simultmlmus m; Y step-by-ste )yfeeding thawing rm U111 operabie y said opvratmg mamm, mad mums to miminaticaily :wtlmte will L395!" Wye! mnuhnnism upma 6w 0;; 2119; mi said nutiei gate to empty iiw no; 0% $1543.

In a device, 0? L110 chairman dsi firl'lh l i a rake, nae-.1115 t0 mm'u said. 1m 1 ngitwiitnaliy, and means suppurivd ludependesntly of mid rake and operabie ihereby in elevate and (imp said rake. 7

6. In a device of the character defififflkfii the mmbinatinn of a body stwctme means tn mm'nlaly supgmrt said body snmturm shuw :15 mt cm} of .A'ni imciy' six-112i m anti "t gate at the mike? ma' w; 415F316 m In in (LAW thy 1' V 3 f3 5:13! M1 35 aumrhum eawum .uzairuiiahia said gum in empty the L'HHUiliH (if mid body stmcturv, and univm'sni 111cmipulativs reciprucatsr mmms for upusn-zting the and second 5 id means, as and fur the: pi'sz'pas s spemfiei.

The mmnimtiqn of vim pruvidnrl fur Saki vmmshm, 1mm i0 11' 100%; said and 039911 said gate. 211115. means controllable by the opening n5 said gate for fuming the (-ontents of the nontainer tin-magi; said gate.

9.1110- cmnbination :1f 2: Qmfiainm', an mitlwt g: provide? for mid cuntainvh means (0 (H M! M amfl't fab". mama 10. in a device of Rm: 1? a body structure, mi'uns part said bady structure. at one end 0'? said body structure a, trm memhez" pivutallv assaciated with 821 16. show-M, means he Hmit the movement of (rip memiamg :1 "aka structure. m draw t'iw n. srmvel arrange hum BUYER '1 mfimbsyr may nawed, ta J V 1 521i? 1': m: xi -1114 111. and means in 1w w; hmiy' ai'z'u mrv in (me direction opvmfm: lever, as and for the gmrpuaac g specifiw h V In a, dgavice of the charmfier descfioad shun-hum rmwmse m muxmbly supairuvi'l'mg a slui m i van-QM m"? of wh'az .nr EH'L'HtEiPlV n gm! i 1* ('3 H11 3 Fxmnd i'nz'ln nbutmunts n:- n'mWmr-nt n? Haiti 7 Aiirmp fm'mmi 'frmn utu'z'momjiu pmtinn nif said w: a rake mature coiipnmting wifi: said snm'ei anti having a shank ugmiuating in ain stirrup. 2 law? to ilCt llltfl V "Hank infavidmi miun n? azlivi 3 means? and means automatically operable to more said body structure in one direction, as and for the purpose specified.

15. In a dei'ioe of the character described, a body structure, means to inovably soypolt; said body structure, an operating lever, means operable by said operating lever to draw extraneous material. into said body structure, means controllable by said operating member to more said body structure in one direction, an outlet gate associat d with said body strurture and mmtrollable by said operating mmnlmr for effecting the opening of the gate and llit'illlfi controllable by said outlet ate to force the eon'lents of said body structure tin ouggii the opened gate, as and for the purpose sperified.

16. In a (le\ ice of the eliarz'tcter describl'ril, a body structure means to inovably sup port said body structure, means at one end of said body' structure to draw the mate-- rial acted upon t liereiuto, means arrauget adjacent the other end of said body Sijl ture to more said body structure in one direction, means to raise and lower said body structure, and means to automatically adopt; said body structure, as and for the PUIPUM. specified.

1.7. 111 a device of the elia actor destriboi a body structure, means to movably sup port said body structure, means to draw the material acted upon into said body structure, an outlet gate for said body eta-tie tare, urine to move said body structure in one direction, n'ieans to raise and lower said body struet lne, and means to uutomatr oaliy open said outlet gate at certain times to eause tile exu iitying of the eoi'itents of said body structure, as and for the purpose specified.

18. in a device oi the character described, the combination of a body strut-tur means said b dy structure, win; in said body structure, arrangt ii at one, red oi said Emily rurlure means i-oo iieratiug with rll-(lafi to if a" t-Xtraueom ll'ili'iilfti said i as; outl -t*; {'w body s int {115 to 1; strut-tare in r it direction, min: for wntmlling the Fltiyiihll and means raising nu'an uuifl sat nifuus said iiwlv siiiti'iiln n tlu' miwi"? Eliillil" o litmus nl said ('uiigua'aiire" Willi Said to raise and lover sin- I with uial fr nt oll ill {mun tiifid' oi Emu and thawing Sall bod nisg arm Hut i all us; 

